Big Easy Roller Derby was founded as Big Easy Rollergirls in the spring of 2005 and had planned their first bout during Mardi Gras 2006.[3] Unfortunately, the league was disrupted by and had to regroup following the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina, beginning competitive play on September 16, 2006. After a citywide tryout, BERD had two teams and more than 30 active members its first season. The debut bout was won by the Hor-Nots (v the 'Aints) 128–123 in overtime before a sellout crowd.
In their second season, Big Easy Roller Derby doubled their membership with new recruits and was able to field four local teams: Confederacy of Punches, Crescent Wenches, Marigny Antoinettes, and StoryVillains, as well as a travel team, the Big Easy Roller Derby Allstars. By the fourth season, Big Easy Roller Derby switched to a two-team structure: The Big Easy Allstars (A team) and the Crescent Wenches (B team). The Marigny Antoinettes are now the incoming year's "Fresh Meat", and the StoryVillains are the recreational team composed of retired Big Easy Roller Derby skaters.
The Big Easy Roller Derby organization has continued to grow and evolve,[4] maintaining a rigorous athletic training regimen (both on skates and off) while regularly contributing to community-service–oriented efforts around New Orleans.[5] Charities and organizations BERD has worked with include the Slaughter, Louisiana Volunteer Fire Department, Arabi Wrecking Krewe, New Orleans City Park, Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, NO AIDS Task Force, Common Ground Collective, KaBOOM!, KIDsmART and the Louisiana SPCA.
Big Easy Roller Derby are a diverse group of female athletes, ranging in age from the twenty-one to over fifty.[4] By day, they are dental hygienists, community college students, teachers, lawyers, stay-at-home-mothers, and waitresses.
For their first two seasons, home bouts were held at Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World in Algiers, New Orleans.[6] The league currently holds their home bouts before large crowds (400 - 600 attendees) at the University of New Orleans Human Performance Center.
Voted “Best Local Sports Team" by local magazine Where Y’at in their first season,[7] the league's mission continues to be to encourage and empower women through the sport of flat-track roller derby. In doing so they provide alternative athletic entertainment while supporting charitable organizations that benefit the community at large.
In 2011, BERD converted from an LLC to a non-profit corporation, but does not have 501(c)(3) status. The league changed their name from Big Easy Rollergirls to Big Easy Roller Derby in 2019.[8]
BERD has a partnership with Crescent City Crushers, the local junior roller derby league, to promote the sport locally.[9]
WFTDA competition
In October 2011, Big Easy were ranked number one by the Derby South organization, which represents leagues from five southern states.[10]
After the 2013 season, they were ranked 93 in the world by the WFTDA. In 2014, Big Easy made their first appearance at WFTDA Division 2 Playoffs, coming into the Duluth tournament as the third seed, and ultimately finishing in fourth place.[11]
